Kriti Mehrotra
It was on July 31, 2022, that everything turned upside down for two families as 46-year-old Daniel Peek was fatally shot right outside his East Florida Avenue home in Youngstown, Ohio. His shooter was none other than his girlfriend’s estranged husband, John Morgan — a fact that has never been denied by anyone involved and has even been backed up by the latter’s own dashcam. However, as explored in A&E’s ‘Accused: Guilty or Innocent?’ season 7 episode 1, ‘Jealous Killer or Fearful Victim,’ he has always maintained he fired his weapon in self-defense.
John Morgan Has Vehemently Maintained He Had No Animosity Towards Daniel Peek
While it’s true that John Morgan had been married to the woman he believed was the love of his life for nearly 25 years before she left him in late 2019, he never carried any ill will towards her. According to his own accounts in the original production, the career industrial painter knew that she, Mary Morgan, was unhappy by the time they had crossed well into the two-decade mark. However, he claimed he never thought it was to such an extent she would leave him for another man, especially since they shared two children — her son from a prior relationship and their daughter.
As per records, Mary moved in with her boyfriend, Daniel Peek, not long after she and John formally separated, only for his daughter to soon begin relying on them for a roof over her head, too. He tried to help out whenever and however he could, but it was limited due to his health issues — he had advanced heart problems following a heart attack at age 31 and high blood pressure. Nevertheless, he dedicated his free time to his family by making sure to spend quality time with them, which is what his plan was for Sunday, July 31, 2022, too.
John had arranged a family barbeque on that fateful day and was picking up his daughter Kaitlynn and her son from Daniel’s place when she texted him to meet her at the end of the street. Yet, because he was already nearby, he replied that she should stay put and he would meet her right where they had intended, unaware an altercation would ensue as soon as he parked. That’s because, per his accounts, he never had any serious interactions, let alone arguments, with Daniel before. In fact, he reportedly didn’t even blame him for his family/marriage crumbling apart.
John Morgan Had No Criminal History Prior to the Incident
Despite the fact John carried a weapon on him nearly every day since around 2019 for protection, considering his health issues, there is no report of him firing on anyone before the fateful day. Instead, according to his stepson as well as biggest supporter, William Granger, he himself was a victim of a drive-by shooting a year or so prior to the incident, which made him fearful. He actually testified that his stepfather was driving in the South Side in 2021 when someone started shooting at his vehicle from the side and then from the front, but he thankfully didn’t get hit.
The fact no one was ever charged for the drive-by shooting had reportedly left John so troubled he began carrying his weapon more frequently, unaware he would end up using it on July 31, 2022. Daniel had come rushing down the steps as soon as he drove in, allegedly threatening to kill him, resulting in the then-47-year-old grabbing his gun and firing a warning shot near the former’s legs. Then, with adrenaline reportedly coursing through his veins, he swung his arms, hit his wife’s boyfriend while letting go of his gun, and bear-hugged him to hopefully stop things from escalating.
But alas, as backed up by the dashcam John had installed following the drive-by incident, that’s when Daniel’s 17-year-old son came out to help his father, making the whole situation seem like life or death. After all, the first thing Daniel Jr. did was stomp at the back of his head, following which the hits kept on coming from both sides until the enraged boyfriend decided to drag him away. Little did he know he would pull John right on top of his gun, making him grab it and fire another shot as he was running away, meaning Daniel had his back turned to the family man. John later claimed he only fired because he wanted the beating to stop and hadn’t noticed that the father-son duo had been retreating.
John Morgan is Currently Behind Bars For Murder and Manslaughter
The second and final time John Morgan pulled the trigger on July 31, 2022, he hit Daniel square in the back in such a way that the bullet pierced his skin and right lung before exiting through his chest. The 46-year-old sadly passed away from his wound a short while later, resulting in his shooter being charged with intentional murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felonious assault with firearm specifications. He subsequently spent 11 days in jail before being released on a $500,000 bond, and it admittedly affected him a lot since he knew his actions had taken a life.
John has always maintained he acted/reacted in self-defense, but the way everything panned out did cause his mental health to deteriorate too — he developed anxiety as well as depression. When he finally went to trial in 2024 — after rejecting a plea bargain that would have given him 6-14 years behind bars — he hoped the jury would see his side and his remorse and hopefully acquit him. However, despite witnesses testifying to his character, the evidence against him pulling the trigger on Daniel after he had turned his back on him was undeniable. Plus, the prosecutors painted him as the aggressor since he was the first one to get physical and violent. It was even put into evidence that John and Daniel had indeed gotten into an argument a few weeks prior to the incident after the former had called his estranged wife to ask about her address.
As per court records, John had done so because he planned on filing for divorce and needed that detail for the form, but her boyfriend had called him back with threats, and his anger had persisted. This is reportedly what led to the altercation and the fatal shooting, only for the shooter himself to also admit in a jailhouse call (before bond) to his girlfriend that the second bullet he fired was possibly unnecessary. So, following five hours of deliberations, the jury found John guilty of felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felonious assault with firearm specifications, resulting in him being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 18 years. So, today, at the age of 49, he remains incarcerated at the medium-security Noble Correctional Institution in Caldwell, Ohio. According to Ohio Department of Corrections records, he will become eligible for parole on February 12, 2042.
